Take a moment to think about the qualities you'd like to nurture in yourself while your plant grows and note them down in your journal. You might choose words like patience, calm, clarity, kindness or balance.

You could think about:

• What do I hope to feel more of?
• How will I remind myself to slow down and pay attention to the little things?
• What small daily actions can I take?

You might prefer to write your intentions, draw them, or use a mixture of pictures and words. Do it freely without judgement - there is no right or wrong. Your intentions can be simple or big, as long as they are meaningful to you. 

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Just as plants need sunlight to grow, we need our own nourishment too. Think about things that give you energy and lift your mood. What can you return to whenever you need strength or a gentle boost? Write or draw your sunshine and water. Some examples could be friends, laughter, rest, or creative time. You could frame it in a sun or a raincloud for some extra creativity.

Think about:

• Sun - What lights you up, makes you smile, or brings you joy?
• Water - What restores you, helps you feel calm, or keeps you balanced? 

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Blooming Flowers

• Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath.
• As you breathe in, imagine a flower slowly opening its petals.
• As you breathe out, imagine the flower growing in the sunlight. 

Fill the pot about 2/3 full, place a few seeds on the top, and cover with a sprinkle of soil.

As you work, focus on planting your seeds, acknowledge any thoughts that might pop into your head, and let them drift away again, staying mindful and focused.

Then, dampen your soil and leave your pot on a windowsill. A small spray bottle works well.

Top tips:

• It’s best to keep your pot on a small plate so any draining water won’t leave a mess.
• Small stones or gravel at the bottom of your pot will help with drainage so the soil doesn’t get too soggy.
• Bury a small section of banana skin at the bottom of your pot to help your plant grow.

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5 Senses Check-In

Look around and gently notice:

• 5 things you can see.
• 4 things you can touch.
• 3 things you can hear.
• 2 things you can smell.
• 1 thing you can taste or imagine tasting.

Design your self-care garden to celebrate and remind yourself of all the things that nourish and replenish you.

You could draw, collage or even write a descriptive piece describing your garden. Include your ‘sun’ and ‘water’ and anything else that nourishes you. You may want to use symbolism, or put your ideas straight onto paper.

If you’re not sure where to start, try thinking about:

• Soil – What supports me and gives me a strong foundation? (Examples: family, routine, rest, faith, nature, therapy, friends).
• Seeds – What small habits or intentions do I want to plant in my life? (Examples: Journaling, exercise, more laughter, upholding boundaries).
• Sun – What brings me joy, energy, or inspiration? (Examples: Music, creativity, reading, time with loved ones).
• Water – What replenishes me when I feel low? (Examples: Tea, spa time, mindfulness exercises, quiet time, being outside).
• Flowers – What parts of myself do I want to see blossom? (Examples: Confidence, calm, resilience, kindness, patience).
• Weeds – What steals my nourishment and drains my energy that I would like to gently remove? (Examples: Self-doubt, overcommitment, negative self-talk).
• Path – How do I want my self-care to guide me forward? (Examples: Towards balance, joy, inner peace, stronger health).

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Object Focus

1. Choose a small object (stone, leaf, pen).

2. Hold it in your hand and notice its texture, shape, and weight.

3. Look closely at its details – the colours, patterns, or edges.

4. Take a slow breath while focusing only on the object.

By now, your little seed should have grown into a little plant. What changes have you noticed? You can think about:

• Size of the leaves, stem or flowers
• Shapes - are the leaves round or pointed? Are the petals long and thin or short and round?
• Colours of the different parts of the plant
• Scent - what do you smell if you rub the leaves or flowers between your fingers? 

 
Spend some time recreating your plant in your journal. You could sketch, paint or collage, use realistic colours, noticing colour changes in the shadowy and highlighted areas, or make an abstract piece using every colour of the rainbow. You might prefer to write a descriptive piece about your plant or even use a combination of words and illustrations. 

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Take a few moments to note down some self-obersavations: 

• How have you been taking care of yourself in the past few weeks? 
• What new ‘seeds’ (habits) have started to grow in your life? 
• In one or two words, how are you feeling right now? 
  

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Stretch & Release

1. Gently raise your arms above your head and stretch tall.

2. Slowly roll your shoulders back and down.

3. Tilt your head side to side, noticing how your muscles feel.

4. Take a deep breath in, and release any tension as you exhale.

Draw and cut out some seed shapes on a piece of paper. (Tip: fold the paper and cut several seeds at once to make it easier.)

Over the next few days, write down something you are grateful for on each paper seed and place them in a small envelope inside your journal (a box or container works just fine too).

Your notes can be about little things, like a warm drink or a lie-in, or bigger things, like friends, family, or a special event. Even tiny moments that made you smile.

You might want to colour and decorate your seeds, as well as the envelope, to make it extra special.

Revisit your gratitude seeds whenever you want a little lift or a gentle reminder of the things that brighten your life.

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Body Scan

1. Close your eyes and bring attention to the top of your head.

2. Slowly scan down through your body – noticing your face, shoulders, arms, chest, legs, and feet.

3. Pause at any area of tension and soften it with a breath out.

4. Continue until you’ve scanned your whole body.

Recap over the observations activity in week 4.

You may want to use the same method or try something different this time.

• How has your plant changed since your last check-in? 
• Does it look stronger, bushier, taller? 
• Perhaps it needs less water and more sunlight? 
• What do you notice when you touch the leaves?

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Think about any recent changes in yourself. 

• In what ways have you been getting stronger or feeling more confident?
• What has been your ‘sunshine’ this week? (What has brought you joy?) 
• What has been your ‘water’? (What has restored you?)

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Box Breathing

1. Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts.

2. Hold your breath for 4 counts.

3. Exhale gently through your mouth for 4 counts.

4. Pause and hold for 4 counts, then repeat.

In nature, plants grow when strong roots are supported by good soil, and navigate around obstacles, like rocks.

Reflect on obstacles or challenges you face. These could be things like burn-out, self-doubt, time pressure – anything that you feel blocks your growth. Write or draw these as rocks around your page (make sure to leave plenty of room in-between). 

Next, think about the soil (your support). These could be things like friends and family, nature, or faith, and self-care practices which help you feel grounded and balanced. Draw or write these in your soil.

Draw your roots spreading outwards on the page, weaving around the rocks. Think about the qualities that help you feel grounded. These could be things like patience, creativity, kindness, or resilience, and write or draw these along your roots. 

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Notice how your roots can grow around and past the rocks. Ask yourself: 

• Which strength helps me most right now to navigate around my ‘rocks’?  
• What supports do I need to lean on more?  
• How can I navigate around my obstacles with patience and care?

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Name the Colours

1. Look around your space.

2. Start noticing and naming the colours you can see out loud or in your mind.

3. Keep going until you feel calmer and more grounded.

Take a moment to sit with your plant. How does it look and feel? How does it smell?  

Create your plant again in your journal. You may want to use the same techniques as you did in previous observation activities or try something different.

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What is different about your plant this week compared to the first observation activity? 

Write down three words to describe your plant. 

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Take some time to think back over the last few weeks, and write down: 

• What personal changes or growth have you noticed since planting your seeds?  
• What are you most proud of in yourself right now?  
• Write three things you have been grateful for or enjoyed about caring for your plant.

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Gratitude Pause

1. Close your eyes for a moment.

2. Think of one thing you’re grateful for right now – it can be as simple as your cup of tea or the sunshine.

3. Say it quietly to yourself or write it down.

4. Notice how your body feels when you focus on gratitude.

Draw a flower with five petals. In each petal, draw or write your answers: 

• Short-term achievements – Something I’ve achieved recently, this can be big or small. 
• Long-term achievements – Something I’ve worked towards over time and feel proud for completing.  
• Things I like about myself – Qualities, quirks, or skills that I value in myself.  
• Gratitude – Things I feel grateful for today.  
  
• Things that make me feel good – Activities, people, places or moments that bring me joy.  

Look back on your flower as a reminder of your strengths, joys, and achievements. You are blooming beautifully.

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Hand Trace Breathing

1. Hold out one hand in front of you.

2. With your other hand, trace up each finger slowly. Breathe in as you move up, breathe out as you move down.

3. Continue until you’ve traced your whole hand, then repeat if needed.

Flower and leaf pressing is a lovely way to preserve little pieces of nature. You could press a leaf or flower off your plant as a reminder of your strengths and achievements that you have focused on over the past few weeks, or go for a quiet nature walk to find some other interesting plants and flowers to use to decorate your journal or use for other crafts.  

How to press: 

• Pick a clean, dry leaf or flower. 
• Place it flat between two sheets of kitchen roll or clean paper. 
• Slip it inside a heavy book and close it (it helps to put some more books on top). 
• Leave for 1-2 weeks  
   

Ways to use your pressed leaves/flowers: 

• Add them to your journal or scrapbook. 
• Seal them with Sellotape or laminate them to make a bookmark,  charm or window decoration. 
• Use as a keepsake of your growth journey.  

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Sound Anchor

1. Sit quietly and listen carefully to the sounds around you.

2. Notice the closest sound, the furthest sound, and something in between.

3. Label each sound in your mind without judgement (e.g., “bird,” “traffic,” “wind”).

4. Return to your breath after a few moments of listening.